Pontic tooth



W. C. WHITTEMORE March 21, 1939.

. INVENTOR WINTHHDP UWHITTEMDRE Patented Mar. 21, 1939 2,151,542 PONTIC'roo'rn' Winthrop G. Whittemore, New York, N. Y., as-

signor to The Dentists Supply Company of New York, New York, N. Y., acorporation of New York Application October 15, 1936, Serial No. 105,680

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a pontic tooth, and has particular referenceto a pontic tooth incorporating a bulk of porcelain adaptable for rootor saddle contact with the tissues, and a lingual 5 incisal area ofporcelain.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a pontic tooth havinga bulk of porcelain in the ginglvalarea of sufficient size to allow forproper adaptation to the tissues, and having a lingual incisal area ofporcelain so shaped as to allow for proper adjustment to antagonizingteeth without weakening the porcelain structure.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pontic having theforegoing features while still providing suillcient area for the frameof the bridge work to which the pontic is attached.

In providing a porcelain tooth having the charaeteristlcs above setforth dimculty arises because of insufficient space for proper shape ofthe lingual incisal area without sacrificing strength.

According to the invention the porcelain pontic tooth may be of thesaddle or root type having a pin ledge area with metal pins extendingtherefrom and a lingual incisal area of porcelain.

25 This description places the pins which extend out of the pin ledgebetween two areas of porcelain projecting lingually, which areas-areflat on the surfaces facing the pins, and are known as gingival floorand incisal floor", respectively. The incisal ledge has an arcuateconnection with the pin ledge in order to provide strength and preventbreaking of the lingual incisal area.

The drawing illustrates an embodiment of the invention and the viewstherein are as follows:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of an upper central incisor,

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1,and

Figure 3 is a rear elevational view of the tooth is provided with pinsII for anchorage to the bridge frame. j

The invention contemplates that the lingu incisal area I! shall beformed to best represent natural tooth construction or anatomy, and in 5order that perfect articulation may be obtained with the opposing teeth,one of which is shown in dotted lines and characterized i3. t

The pontlc is provided with an incisal floor ll extending lingually, andsaid floor merges into the pin ledge 9 by an arcuate surface It. Thisarcuate surface has a radius approximately onehalf the length of theincisal floor to provide sufficient material through the point l8, sothat the structure will resist normal forces.

If desired the gingival floor 8 may have an arcuate connection with thepin ledge 9, and this has been indicated by dotted lines at ll. Thepurpose of providing this last mentioned arcuate surfaceis to assist inthe delivery of biscuits 20 from molds during the manufacturing of theporcelain tooth. Both the arcuate surfaces It and I1 assist the dentaltechnician in the preparation of the bridge frame, as will be readilyunderstood by those familiar with the art. With this natural teeth andthe contact with opposing teeth so will be porcelain.

Of course, the pontic tooth illustrated and herein described may bemodified and changed in various ways without departing from theinvention herein set forth and hereafter claimed.

The invention is herebyclaimed as follows:

A porcelain pontic tooth having a mass of material at the gingival endadaptable for root or saddle contact, a pin ledge, a gingival floorextending lingually from said pin ledge, an incisal floor extendinglingually, and an arcuate surface extending from said pin ledge to saidincisal floor, the radius of said arcuate surface being approximatelyone-half the length of the incisal floor so as to provide sufficientmaterial between same and the lingual area to permit grinding of thelatter to provide proper articulation with antagonizing teeth.

wm'rimor c. wnrrmmonn.

